Pump head and metering device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a pump head that enables a metered dispensing of fluids. The present invention also relates to a metering apparatus that can, for example, be configured as a squeeze bottle, wherein the metering apparatus comprises a pump head in accordance with the invention.

The present invention relates to a pump head that enables a metered dispensing of fluids. The present invention also relates to a metering apparatus that can, for example, be configured as a squeeze bottle, wherein the metering apparatus comprises a pump head in accordance with the invention.

Metering systems are known from the prior art such as squeeze bottles, non-airless systems or airless systems. These systems are characterized by a portioned metering of fluid to be dispensed or by a continuous dispensing of fluid on application of a corresponding pressure on the metering apparatus.

It is, however, still disadvantageous, in particular with squeeze bottles, that a metered dispensing of liquids is not possible. As long as a user exerts pressure on the squeeze bottle, it will dispense the fluid to be metered. On a careless handling, for example on application of excessive pressure on the squeeze bottle by the user, this can have the result that too much liquid is unintentionally discharged from a corresponding metering apparatus.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a pump head, in particular for a squeeze bottle metering system, with which a metered dispensing of the contained fluid is made possible from a metering apparatus, in particular from a squeeze bottle provided with a pump head.

This object is achieved with respect to a pump head by the features of claim 1 and with respect to a metering apparatus by the features of claim 19. The respective dependent claims in this respect set forth advantageous further developments.

The present invention thus relates to a pump head for a metering apparatus for a metered dispensing of a fluid comprising a head part (“head base”) having an outlet opening for the fluid to be dispensed; a (second) element 60 that has a cut-out, a wall bounding the cut-out at one side, and a passage opening introduced into the wall that brings the cut-out directly or indirectly into fluidic communication with the outlet opening of the head part, with the second element 60 being directly or indirectly connected to the head part in the direction of the wall; and a hollow piston having a passage channel that is fit into place in the cutout and is movably guidable up to the wall in the cut-out, with the passage channel being arranged in the hollow piston such that the passage opening is closable by the hollow piston on a movement of the hollow piston in the direction of the wall.

The present invention thus provides that the hollow piston that is located in the second element 60 is movably guided. A volume is thus defined by the hollow piston in the cut-out of the second element 60 that can be reduced on a movement of the hollow piston (by application of pressure of the fluid to be dispensed). The fluid located within this volume is thereby dispensed through the passage opening of the second element in the direction of the outlet opening and thus to the outside. However, in its final position at the end of the metering procedure, the hollow piston closes the passage opening of the second element so that an automatic end of the metering procedure takes place. The pump head of the present invention thus makes a metered dispensing of the fluid possible. In this respect, only the liquid volume is dispensed that is located in a storage position in the cut-out of the element.

The outlet opening can be configured here so that the fluid can be dispensed by means of the pump head in the form of drops or in the form of a spray.

A preferred embodiment provides that the cut-out and the hollow piston are cylindrical.

A further preferred embodiment provides that the passage channel ends in the direction of the wall in an aperture arranged concentrically or eccentrically with respect to an axial projection of the hollow piston and/or that the passage channel is guided in a straight line and concentrically or eccentrically with respect to an axial projection of the hollow piston, and that the passage opening is arranged offset with respect to the aperture.

It is furthermore of advantage if the second element 60 comprises at least one means for fixing to a storage vessel, in particular a latch connection, a snap-in connection, or a thread.

On a direct connection of the head part to the second element 60, the head part and the element can comprise means for a direct connection, e.g. a latch connection, a snap-in connection, or a thread.

A further preferred embodiment provides that the head part and the element 60 are indirectly connected to one another, with the head part having an inner surface;

that an elastic valve is incorporated that at least regionally has a geometrical configuration corresponding to the inner surface of the head part (10);

and that an element (“liner”) is incorporated that has a passage opening for the fluid to be dispensed via which an inflow of the fluid between the head part and the elastic valve is made possible while deforming the elastic valve while forming an intermediate space between the elastic valve and the head part (actuation state (B)),

wherein the head part and the element are connected with shape matching and a force fit while enclosing the elastic seal between the head part and the element and the elastic valve lies over the full area with a shape match on the inner surface of the head part in a storage state A of the pump head so that a fluidic seal between the head part and the element is ensured; and

wherein the element is connected at its end remote from the elastic seal to the element 60.

In accordance with this preferred embodiment, the head part and the elastic valve are thus matched to one another. The elastic valve here lies on the inner surface of the head part so that a complete closure of the outlet opening is ensured. Due to the fact that the elastic valve is at least regionally elastic, the elastic valve lies over its full area on the inner surface of the head part so that no remaining intermediate space is left between the head part and the elastic valve in the storage state. All the liquid to be metered is thus output from the pump head via the outlet opening at the end of the metering process, i.e. when the pump head returns from an actuation state into a storage state.

A preferred embodiment provides that the elastic valve comprises a head and an elastic wall, wherein the head has a geometrical configuration corresponding to the inner surface of the head part and the elastic wall is deformable.

In accordance with this preferred embodiment, the wall of the elastic valve is in particular elastic, whereas the head can be rigid and is thus directly adapted to the configuration of the inner surface of the head part. A secure engagement of the head of the elastic valve in the inner surface of the head part is thus ensured in the region of the outlet opening.

It is further preferred here that the elastic wall has at least one desired kink point at which the elastic wall kinks down or in on a movement from the storage state (A) to the actuation state (B).

The wall of the elastic valve can be configured, for example, in the form of bellows. The wall of the elastic valve thus kinks at the desired kink points in the operating state, whereas a stretching of the wall takes place in the storage state so that the wall equally lies on the inner surface of the head part.

It is in particular advantageous in this respect if the elastic wall is formed from a film of an elastically deformable material, in particular from a thermoplastic, rubber and/or silicone, preferably having a thickness of 0.03 to 1 mm, preferably 0.08 to 0.5 mm, particularly preferably 0.20 to 0.30 mm, and/or the head is configured massive.

The head of the elastic valve can preferably be formed from the same material as the elastic wall. The head and the elastic wall are in particular formed in one piece and are in particular manufactured simultaneously by an injection molding process.

In a further preferred embodiment, the elastic valve has at least one fixing member via which the elastic valve is connected with force-fit to at least one corresponding fixing element of the first element 40, with the fixing member of the elastic valve and the fixing member of the first element 40 preferably being configured as a latch connection or a snap-in connection.

It is further preferred if the first element 40 has a wall that terminates the intermediate space, with a fluidic communication of the intermediate space with a region disposed at the other side of the wall, viewed from the intermediate space, being made possible via the passage opening.

In accordance with this embodiment, separate regions can be formed within the pump head via which a reliable metering of the liquid is possible.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment, provision is made that the passage opening is led directly from the region through the wall and opens into the region or is led through a lateral wall of the first element 40 in the region and is guided at an outer surface of the first element 40 in a notch that can be bounded by the element and is again led in the region through the lateral wall of the first element 40 and opens into the region.

In particular the last-named possibility, according to which a notch is provided in the outer surface of the element, makes possible a preferred guidance of the fluid in the intermediate space between the head part and the elastic valve.

It is particularly preferred here that a member that exerts a return force on the elastic valve is arranged between the elastic valve and the first element 40, with the return force having the effect that the intermediate space formed in the actuation state B is closed while returning to the storage state A. The member is in particular a spring.

It is further advantageous in this respect that the first element 40 is connected at its end remote from the elastic seal to a (second) element 60 via which the pump head (I) is connectable to a storage vessel (II) for storing the fluid to be dispensed.

It is in particular of advantage here if at least one means for the sterile filtration of incoming air is present between the first element 40 and the second element 60 (non-airless system), in particular a bacterial filter, or the first element 40.

The pump head configured for non-airless systems can here in particular be used with squeeze bottles or corresponding metering apparatus having a pump head.

A passive actuation of the pump head takes place here with squeeze bottles since the fluidic pressure takes place by actuation of the squeeze bottle connected to the pump head.

The first element 40 can here be fixed with respect to the second element 60. This embodiment is in particular advantageous for metering apparatus that comprise a squeeze bottle.

A further preferred embodiment provides that when the pump head is connected to the storage vessel via the element 60, a seal is arranged between the element 60 and the storage vessel.

The head part can preferably contain an antibacterial material, preferably metals or metal ions, and can in particular contain silver particles or silver ions. The head part is in particular manufacturable in an injection molding process, with an antibacterial material in particular being able to be directly compounded with the thermoplastic material that is used to manufacture the injected molded part.

The invention also relates to a metering apparatus that comprises a pump head as described above. The pump head is connected to a storage vessel.

The storage vessel can preferably be configured as a squeeze bottle.

The pump head is in particular suitable for non-airless systems, in particular for metering apparatus that have a squeeze bottle. Solutions containing preserving agents can preferably be stored in such metering apparatus, but in particular solutions free of preserving agents.

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed Figures without restricting the invention to the specifically shown embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded drawing of a metering apparatus that is configured as a squeeze bottle that can be actuated in a meterable manner. The metering apparatus has a pump head I and a squeeze bottle II (storage vessel) in which a fluid to be dispensed is contained, shown hatched.

The pump head I is in this respect formed from a head part 10 that can be placed on a second element 60. The fluid can, for example, exit the metering apparatus in drop form via the outlet opening 11 provided in the head part 10. The element 60 here has a cut-out 61 in which a movably guidable hollow piston 70 is fit into place. The element 60 is bounded by a wall 62 with respect to the head part 10. The piston 70 has a passage channel 71 that is arranged centrally in the piston in the case shown by way of example in FIG. 1. The fluidic communication between the interior of the squeeze bottle II and the outlet opening 11 in the pump head I takes place via the passage channel 71 of the hollow piston, a passage opening 63 in the wall 62 of the second element 60, and the outlet opening 11 itself. As can be recognized from FIG. 1, the passage opening 63 is here arranged eccentrically to the axis shown longitudinally in FIG. 1. For the case that the movable hollow piston 70 is led up to the wall 62, the passage opening 63 is closed by the hollow piston 70. No further liquid can thus be dispensed by the pump head I, even on a longer application of pressure to the squeeze bottle. The pump head thus closes itself in the metering process. The function of the pump head as shown in FIG. 1 will be explained in more detail in the following FIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 2 shows the metering apparatus in accordance with FIG. 1 in the assembled state. The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 2 as in FIG. 1. The metering apparatus is placed on its head for the dispensing of liquid so that cut-out 61 present between the hollow piston 70 in the storage state and the wall 62 of the second portal 60 can be filled with fluid via the channel 71.

If now, as shown in FIG. 3, a pressure is exerted on the squeeze bottle II (indicated for the squeeze bottle II in FIG. 3 by the horizontal arrows), the pressure has the effect that the hollow piston 70 moves downward, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3. The liquid present in the cut-out 61 bounded in FIG. 2 by the hollow piston 70 and the wall 62 is thus pressed to the outside in or from the outlet opening 11 through the passage opening 63 of the portal 60. At the end of the metering process, i.e. when the hollow piston 70 abuts up to the wall 62 of the second portal 60, the passage opening 63 of the second element 60 is closed by the hollow piston 70 so that no further dispensing of the fluid is possible. This state (actuation state) is shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 shows the situation that occurs when the metering apparatus is released and is thus transitioned from the actuation state (as shown in FIG. 3) into the storage state. Due to the returning force (horizontal arrows at the level of the squeeze bottle Il in FIG. 4), a pressure equalization takes place so that air L enters into the bottle. The hollow piston 70 is returned to its starting position here, i.e. the hollow piston 70 moves downward.

FIG. 5 shows a further pump head I that is equally suitable as a metering head for a squeeze bottle. The pump head I here comprises a head part 10 having an outlet opening 11 that can preferably be configured for a drop-like dispensing of fluids. It is, however, equally possible to configure the outlet opening such that an atomized spray can be generated on the dispensing of the fluid. The head part 10 is here seated directly on an element 40 and is connected thereto with shape matching and force fitting. The head part 10 here has an inner cut-out that has an inner surface 12. An elastic valve 20 that has a head 21 a and an elastic wall 21 b is arranged between the head part 10 and the element 40. The valve 20 is shown in a storage state (A) and in an actuation state (B). It can be recognized that the elastic wall 21 b kinks inward in the actuation state (B); for this purpose the elastic wall 21 b preferably has a desired kink point 24 that can be seen in the actuation state (B). The desired kink points 24 are drawn smooth in the storage state (A). The head 21 a of the valve 20 can be solid here and the elastic wall 21 a can be joined to the head 21 a as a tubular wall. The completely elastic valve 20 can be manufactured in one piece in an injection molding process. Fixing members 23, for example a peripheral spring, are present at the elastic wall 21 b. The elastic valve 20 is fixed to the body 40 via the fixing members 23. For this purpose, the fixing members 23 are latched into corresponding fixing members 43, for example a peripheral groove, of the body 40. The connection of the fixing members 23 and 43 is here designed as sealing with respect to the fluids to be metered. The surface 22 of the head 21 a of the valve 20 in this respect has an identical design to the inner surface 12 of the head part 10 so that the head 21 a of the valve 20 can be engaged with force matching into the head part 10 in the storage state A and thus completely closes the outlet opening 11. The intermediate space 10-20 formed in the actuation state B between the head part 10 and the elastic valve 20 is hereby completely closed; all the fluid that is present in the intermediate space 10-20 between the head part 10 and the elastic valve 20 in the actuation state is thus discharged from the outlet opening 11 on the transitioning of the pump head into the storage state. The element 40 has a wall 42 that constructionally separates the pump head into an upper part (the part that comprises the head part and the elastic valve 20) and a lower part (below the wall 42). An element 60 that is connectable to the element 40 with force transmission is inserted below the wall 42 of the element 40. An intermediate space 40-60 results between the element 60 and the element 40. The element 40 here has a passage opening 41 that is configured in the case shown by way of example in FIG. 5 such that the passage opening 41 is led through the wall 44 of the element 40 in the lower part of the element 40 (at the level of the intermediate space 40-60) and is there led around the element 40 in a notch (not shown) on the outer surface of the element 40. The notch here communicates with a channel that is shown at the left in FIG. 5, that leads upward, and that opens in a further passage opening 41 through which the fluid can be conducted into the intermediate space 10-20 between the valve 20 and the head part 10. The channel guided on the surface of the element 40 is here bounded and terminated by the placed-on element 40.

The element 60 has a wall 62 that is attached at the head side and into which an eccentric transit opening 63 is inserted. The element 60 is here inserted so far into the element 40 that the wall 62 in not directly terminated by the wall 42 of the element 40, but rather that a remaining intermediate region 40-60 is maintained and the transit opening 41 that is arranged in the lower part of the element 40 thus remains open. In the exemplary case of the pump head I in accordance with FIG. 5, a material 50 is attached between the element 40 and the element 60 that filters bacteria and via which an exchange of air of the inwardly disposed region of the pump head with the environment is possible. The element 60 has a cut-out 61 into which a hollow piston 70 having an inner hollow volume 71 is introduced. The hollow piston 70 is here arranged movable in the cut-out 61 in the axial direction (to the top and bottom in FIG. 5). In addition, the pump head can have a sealing member 80 via which a sealing attachment of the pump head I to a storage vessel II, not shown in FIG. 5, is possible.

FIG. 6 shows a pump head I in accordance with FIG. 5 that is shown on a storage vessel II, on a squeeze bottle in the case of FIG. 6. The storage vessel II here comprises a fluid to be dispensed that is shown hatched in the storage vessel II in FIG. 2a . FIG. 6a shows a section through the total arrangement in the state of use; FIG. 6b shows the detail of the pump head I framed in FIG. 2a . The same reference numerals are used here as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 6b , the path of the fluid out of the storage container II in the direction of the outlet opening 11 is indicated by an arrow X through the passage channel 71 of the hollow piston 70, through the intermediate region 40-60 between the element 60 and the element 40, through the passage opening 41, through the intermediate space 10-20 that results on an actuation of the metering apparatus in accordance with FIG. 6, and finally in the direction of the outlet opening 11.

FIG. 7 shows the same metering apparatus in accordance with FIG. 6 on an application of pressure (indicated by the arrows in FIG. 37) to the squeeze bottle II. In this respect, the hollow piston 70 (see FIG. 7b ) is pressed downward (indicated by the arrow to the left of the hollow piston 70) and thus presses the fluid present below the hollow piston 70 and enclosed by the hollow piston 70 and the element 60 through the transit passage 43 of the element 60 into the intermediate space 40-60. No further reference numerals are inserted into FIG. 7 with the exception of reference numeral 70 for reasons of clarity. The fluid 41 is pressed via the transit opening 41 further into the intermediate space 10-20 between the elastic vale 20 and the head part 10 of the pump head I. A deformation of the elastic valve takes place here that, as shown in FIG. 7b , kinks away and thus releases the outlet opening 11 through which the fluid can exit. Due to the fact that the passage channel 71 of the hollow piston 70 and the passage opening 63 of the element 60 are not arranged in a flush manner, a closure of the passage opening 63 takes place on an abutment of the hollow piston 70 at the wall 62 of the element 60. No further exit of a fluid from the metering apparatus is thus possible even on a further application of pressure since the passage channel 63 is closed. A metered dispensing of liquid from a squeeze bottle is thus possible using this pump head I. The state shown in FIG. 7b corresponds to the actuation state (B) of the pump head.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which a transition of the metering apparatus, in particular of the pump head, takes place from the actuation state into the storage state. For reasons of clarify, no reference numerals are shown; however, the same statements apply as in the preceding Figures. FIG. 8a here represents an enlarged detail of the metering apparatus shown in FIG. 8b . As can be seen from FIG. 8a , the hollow piston 70 is still in the end position that it is reached in the actuation state, as shown in FIG. 7. After the end of the actuation process, the metering apparatus can be transitioned into the storage position by a user, with the metering apparatus being placed on its head in the case of a squeeze bottle in the Figure. The user in this process releases the squeeze bottle; the squeeze bottle returns to its original shape, as shown in FIG. 6, due to the return force of the squeeze bottle. The return force is shown by the outwardly facing arrows in FIG. 8b . Due to the removed volume of liquid, a vacuum arises in the storage vessel II in this procedure and said vacuum continues over the hollow piston 70 into the pump head I of the metering apparatus. Air is sucked into the storage vessel 2 via a sterile filter for a pressure equalization. In this process, the hollow piston 70 is also moved back into its starting position, i.e. the hollow piston 70 is moved downward in the case shown in FIG. 8. An air inlet (arrow L) into the interior of the storage vessel II, i.e. of the squeeze bottle, is possible via the bacterial filter 50 that can be present, for example, between the element 60 and the element 40.

FIG. 9 shows the storage position A of the bottle in which the hollow piston 70 is shown in its end position and the squeeze bottle II is completely relaxed (see FIG. 9b ). 

1. A pump head for a metering apparatus for a metered dispensing of a fluid comprising a head part (“head base”) having an outlet opening for the fluid to be dispensed; a first element that has a cut-out, a wall bounding the cut-out at one side, and a passage opening introduced into the wall that brings the cut-out directly or indirectly into fluidic communication with the outlet opening of the head part, with the first element being directly or indirectly connected to the head part in the direction of the wall; and a hollow piston having a passage channel that is fit into place in the cutout and is movably guidable up to the wall in the cut-out, wherein the passage channel is arranged in the hollow piston such that the pasage opening is closable by the hollow piston on a movement of the hollow piston in the direction of the wall.
 2. The pump head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cut-out and the hollow piston are cylindrical.
 3. The pump head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the passage channel ends in the direction of the wall in an aperture arranged concentrically or eccentrically with respect to an axial projection of the hollow piston; and/or wherein the passage channel is guided in a straight line and concentrically or eccentrically with respect to an axial projection of the hollow piston and the passage opening is arranged offset with respect to the aperture.
 4. The pump head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first element comprises at least one means for fixing to a storage vessel, incuding a latch connection, a snap-in connection, or a thread.
 5. The pump head in accordance with one claim 1, wherein on a direct connection of the head part to the first element, the head part and the first element comprise means for a direct connection, including a latch connection, a snap-in connection, or a thread.
 6. The pump head in accordance with one claim 1, wherein the head part and the first element are indirectly connected to one another, with the head part having an inner surface; an elastic valve being incorporated that at least regionally has a geometrical configuration corresponding to the inner surface of the head part; and a liner being incorporated that has a passage opening for the fluid to be dispensed via which an inflow of the fluid between the head part and the elastic valve is made possible while deforming the elastic valve while forming an intermediate space between the elastic valve and the head part, with the head part and the liner being connected with shape matching and a force fit while enclosing the elastic seal between the head part and the liner and the elastic valve lying over the full area with a shape match on the inner surface of the head part in a storage position of the pump head so that a fluidic seal between the head part and the liner is ensured; and with the liner being connected at its end remote from the elastic seal to the first element.
 7. The pump head in accordance with claim 6, wherein the elastic valve comprises a head and an elastic wall, with the head having a geometrical configuration corresponding to the inner surface of the head part and with the elastic wall being deformable.
 8. The pump head in accordance with claim 7, wherein the elastic wall has at least one desired kink point at which the elastic wall kinks down or in on a transition from the storage state into the actuation state.
 9. The pump head in accordance with claim 7, wherein the elastic wall is formed from a film of an elastically deformable material, including a thermoplastic, rubber and/or silicone, having a thickness of 0.03 to 1 mm; and/or in that the head is massive.
 10. The pump head in accordance with claim 7, wherein the head and the elastic wall are formed in one piece and are simultaneously manufactured by an injection molding process.
 11. The pump head in accordance with claim 6, wherein the elastic valve has at least one fixing member via which the elastic valve is connected in a force-locking manner to at least one corresponding fixing member of the liner, with the fixing member of the elastic valve and the fixing member of the liner being formed as a latch connection or as a snap connection.
 12. The pump head in accordance with claim 6, wherein the liner has a liner wall that terminates the intermediate space, with a fluidic communication of the intermediate space with a first region disposed at the other side of the liner wall, viewed from the intermediate space being made possible via the passage opening.
 13. The pump head in accordance with claim 12, wherein the passage opening is led from the first region directly through the liner wall and opens into a second region, or is led through a lateral wall of the liner in the first region, is guided in a notch at an outer surface of the liner that can be bounded by the head part and is again led through the lateral wall of the liner in the second region and opens into the first region.
 14. The pump head in accordance with claim 1, wherein a spring that effects a return force on the elastic valve is arranged between the elastic valve and the liner, with the return force having the effect that the intermediate space formed in the actuation state is closed while returning to the storage state.
 15. The pump had in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one means for a sterile filtration of inflowing air is present, including a bacterial filter, between the first element and a storage vessel fixable to the first element and/or between the liner and the first element.
 16. The pump head in accordance with claim 6, wherein liner is fixed with respect to the first element.
 17. The pump head in accordance with claim 1, wherein on a connection of the pump head via the first element to the storage vessel , a seal is arranged between the first element and the storage vessel.
 18. The pump head in accordance with claim 1, wherei the head part comprises an antibacterial material, including metals or metal ions, including silver particles or silver ions.
 19. The metering apparatus comprising a pump head in accordance with claim 1 connected to a storage vessel.
 20. The metering apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the storage vessel is configured as a squeeze bottle. 